1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cabinet structure including cover members configured to spatially partition an interior space from an exterior space of a cabinet, and an electronic equipment and an image forming apparatus each including the cabinet structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electro-photographic image forming apparatus generally includes an exterior cover for covering various devices involved in image forming processes arranged in a cabinet and for spatially separating inside from outside of the cabinet. Examples of such an exterior cover are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application H7-39097 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2006-293221. Some type of an exterior cover which forms side surfaces of an image forming apparatus is configured to cover a single side surface with multiple exterior-cover pieces in a manner that each exterior-cover piece covers one of regions into which the side surface is divided. In one exemplary structure configuration of such an exterior cover which covers a single side surface with multiple exterior-cover pieces, a region of the apparatus where electrical components are contained and a region where a drive device is contained are covered with different exterior-cover pieces. The structure configuration in which a single side surface is covered with multiple exterior-cover pieces advantageously reduces the size of exterior-cover piece to be removed by a maintenance person in a maintenance or checkout operation as compared with a structure configuration in which the single side surface is covered with a single large exterior cover, thereby facilitating operations.
Meanwhile, an image forming apparatus emits sounds such as operating sounds of various drive units and rotational sound of a rotating polygon mirror. If transmitted to the outside of the apparatus, such sounds can be noise uncomfortable to people near the apparatus. Such an exterior cover as that described above can reduce transmission of these sounds, which can be noise, from the inside to the outside of the apparatus, thereby reducing noise emission.
However, if there is a clearance between adjacent exterior-cover pieces of the multiple exterior-cover pieces, sounds emitted inside the apparatus can leak to the outside through the clearance and can be noise. A technology which can solve this problem is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application H7-39097. In a structure configuration according to this technique, adjacent exterior-cover pieces are partially overlapped in contact with each other so that a clearance through which sounds can leak is not left.
However, the various drive units of the image forming apparatus not only emit sounds but also generate heat in their operation. The structure configuration described above in which adjacent exterior-cover pieces are partially overlapped in contact with each other is disadvantageous in that not only sounds but also air flow are reduced by the elimination of the clearance, which leads to an undesirable temperature rise inside the cabinet.
This problem is not limited to image forming apparatuses but can arise in any cabinet structure including multiple cover members which spatially partition inside from outside of the cabinet.
Under the circumstances, there is a need for a cabinet structure including multiple cover members and capable of reducing sound leakage while reducing a temperature rise inside the cabinet, and an electronic equipment and an image forming apparatus each including the cabinet structure.
It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve the problems in the conventional technology.